The Grey Dune of Pāvilosta nature reserve covers 42 hectares of land and has been designated to protect Latvia’s widest dune (1.5 km parallel the seacoast, and 812m in the direction from the sea to inland) and the biotopes and species found there. A two-storied watching platform is built to savour the scenery.

 In Soviet time, local fishermen used to dry seaweed in dunes for production of agar, and thus rich vegetation developed in the dune. The Gray Dune is part of a unique landscape with the sea view, the traditional architecture of Pāvilosta fishing town, and biotopes, including protected, which border the nature reserve: pine forest, embryonic dunes, white dunes, and wet beech where once can find springs. Biotope 2130, “Fixed dunes with herbaceous vegetation (grey dunes)” is found here. At present, pines are taking over the biotope, therefore some maintenance activities are required. The Grey Dune is most beautiful in the second half of July and in August when the blossoming Breckland Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) and Narrowleaf Hawkweed (Hieracium umbellatum) colour the dune in shades of yellow and violet. The most typical species here are Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla pretense), Grey Hair-grass(Corynephorus canescens), Blue Hair Grass (Koeleria glauca), Sand Pink (Dianthus arenarius).

The Gray Dune earned wide recognition when a group of enthusiasts actively campaigned for six years to achieve the status of the nature reserve. Guna Grimsta, a group representative remembers that they organised events and activities throughout Latvia involving large part of the society, prominent personalities, church parishes, NGOs, school youth and university students. The activists were writing letters, making videos, doing research articles, composing music, collecting signatures and submitting proposals to achieve official status of the Grey Dune as an especially protected nature site. They organised seminars, concerts, art plenaires and exhibitions, educational excursions, joint-work, musical church services, meetings with high officials and their on-site visits to the Gray Dune.

In 2006 the group received the title „Proudness of Latvia” awarded by the national TV3 broadcasting company and daily paper „Diena”.
The nature reserve „Gray Dune of Pāvilosta” was established in October 30, 2007. It is the most recent Natura2000 site in Latvia.

This arboretum was established in 1996, when dendrologists Raimonds Cinovskis and Ināra Bondare joined with the local government in Rucava in experimenting with plants on the Rucava castle hill.  The first plants were planted in 1998, and ever since then the collection has been expanded in the town centre and outside the Rucava Elementary School.  Each year new and exotic plants are brought in from all around the world.  A traditional garden festival is held each year in May, when rhododendrons and magnolias are in full bloom.

Maršruts "Murjāņi - Līgatne" ved caur Gaujas senieleju ar devona smilšakmens atsegumiem, raksturīgo augu valsti un dzīvniekiem. Krastos sastopami Latvijā lielākie nogāžu un gravu meži ar liepām, ozoliem, gobām un ošiem. Upes līkumos palienē aug baltalkšņu un vīksnu audzes. Uz koku stumbriem atrodams plaušķērpis. Senieleja bagāta ar sausokņiem un kritalām, tāpēc Gaujas krastu mežos dzīvo visu Latvijā sastopamo dzeņu dzimtas sugu putni. Smilšainajās Gaujmalas pļavās un Gaujas vecupēs ir bagātīga bezmugurkaulnieku fauna. Upes krastos ir smilšakmens klintis ar čurkstu alām un zivju dzenīša ligzdām. Klinšu pakājē iztek avoti, kas uztur mikroklimatu ielejā. Gauja ir nozīmīga arī kā Latvijas lielākā lašupe. Maršruts ir daļēji marķēts un papildināts ar norādēm un informācijas stendiem.

The Bauska Nature Park runs for several dozen kilometres along the Lielupe River and its tributaries – the Mūsa and the Mēmele. This is a protected territory. The shores of these rivers contain some of the largest dolomite cliffs in Zemgale. These are protected both as biotopes and as geological monuments. The rivers are important places for river lampreys and vimbas to spawn. Tourists will be attracted by the cultural landscape of the area, as well as the cultural monuments such as the Bauska castle, the Jumpravmuiža park, the Mežotne castle hill, Vīna Hill, the Mežotne castle, etc. The rivers are used for water tourism.

Boaters along the Gauja will see the Velnala cliffs, which are the last mighty wall along the banks of the Gauja River valley – approximately 15 m high. From the opposite shore of the river, where there are leisure facilities, once can spot the Krimulda Devil’s cave, which is in the centre of the cliff, is some 19 m deep, and is 4.7 m high. There were once wooden structures which allowed people to visit the cave, but that stopped in 1980 for safety reasons. If you head toward Turaida along the lower part of the basic Gauja River shoreline from the Velnala cliffs, then, particularly when the trees are bare, you will see the mighty sandstone Piķene cliff. At its foot is the Piķene beaver trail, which is approximately 1 km long. On quiet evenings, you may well spot a beaver at work. Along the path you will see the Small Devil’s cave (5 m deep) with the Wisdom Stream that flows out of it. The Aunapiere cave is almost as deep. Between the cliff and the Gauja are several small rivulets which are of enormous importance in preserving the diversity of the surrounding environment.